MS Dhoni's Iconic Team India Number 7 Jersey Retired By BCCI - Reports

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Mahendra Singh Dhoni's iconic Team India number 7 jersey has been reportedly retired by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), who has informed cricketers to not pick the number.

MS Dhoni, who retired from international cricket in 2020, had sported the number 7 jersey throughout his playing career for Team India right from his debut in 2004. Now, as a tribute to the World Cup-winning captain, BCCI want to retire the number.

India great Sachin Tendulkar's No. 10 shirt has already been retired by the Indian board. Now, a decision has been made to add Dhoni's No. 7 shirt to the list as well, honouring the contributions the wicket-keeper batter made to the national team.

According to reports, BCCI has told players in the Indian cricket team that they can't pick No. 7 Indian jersey, just like no one was allowed to pick the No. 10 shirt. A report from the Indian Express also confirms the same.

"The young players and current Indian team players have been told not to pick M S Dhoni's Number 7 jersey. The BCCI has decided to retire Dhoni's T-shirt for his contribution to the game. A new player can't get No. 7, and No. 10 was already off the list of available numbers," said a senior Board official told Indian Express.

The BCCI official also added that a total of 60 numbers have been allotted to the Indian team's players across formats and the allotted number is saved for the player even if he is out of the team.

"At present, 60-odd numbers are designated to the regulars in the Indian team and those in contention. So even if a player is out of the team for about a year or so, we don't give away his number to a new player. That means a recent debutant has just 30-odd numbers to choose from," said a BCCI official.

Dhoni, who is still playing in the IPL with Chennai Super Kings, has also sported the iconic number 7 in his stints with now defunt Rising Pune Supergiants and the number has eventually become synonymous with him.

The veteran wicketkeeper-batter also had opened up about the significance of the No. 7 jersey and ruled out any superstition behind it, sharing that the "simple" reason behind selecting the number was his date of birth.

"A lot of people initially thought that 7 is a lucky number for me and all of that. But I chose the number for a very simple reason. I was born on the 7th of July. So it's the 7th day of the 7th month, that was the reason," Dhoni had earlier told fans during a virtual interaction held by India Cements.

"Rather than getting to all the different things as to what number is a good number and all, I thought I will use my date of birth as the number. Then whenever people kept asking me, I kept adding to the answer. 81 was the year, 8-1 is again 7, 7 is a very neutral number. People actually kept telling me, I started absorbing it and I started telling it to others in the same way," he further said.

"A lot of people said 7 is a neutral number and even if it doesn't work for you, it doesn't really go against you. That also I added to my answer. I am not very superstitious about it, but it's one number that is close to my heart and I have kept it over the years with me," he added.